UAE Leads MENA Startup Funding With $379 Million in May 2026
Startups in the UAE secured $379 million in May 2026, accounting for the majority of funding raised across the MENA region.
The UAE remained the most-funded startup ecosystem in the MENA region in May 2026, attracting $379 million across 15 transactions, according to data published by Wamda.
The country's performance helped drive a wider recovery in regional venture funding, with startups across MENA raising a combined $454.7 million through 33 deals during the month. The total marked a 202% increase compared to April and a 76% rise year-on-year.
Funding activity in the UAE was largely driven by Trukker, the logistics and digital freight platform, which secured $300 million in debt financing. The transaction accounted for nearly 80% of all capital raised in the country and pushed logistics to the top of the sector rankings in May.
Debt financing represented $300.5 million, or 66% of all capital raised across the region, spread across two transactions. Excluding debt, startups still raised more capital and completed more deals than in April.
Saudi Arabia ranked second in the region, with startups securing $70 million across 11 deals, up 167% from the previous month. Egypt placed third, with three startups raising a combined $5 million.
Fintech ranked second by funding value, attracting $105.7 million across five deals, followed by HRtech, which recorded $17.5 million across two transactions. SaaS was the most active sector by deal count, registering seven transactions worth a combined $1.8 million.
By funding stage, two Series B rounds raised a combined $68.4 million, while 21 pre-seed, seed and Series A transactions brought in $52.2 million.
Business-focused startups accounted for the majority of funding, raising $371.5 million across 24 deals. Consumer-focused companies secured $85.7 million through six transactions, with the remainder going to startups serving both business and consumer markets.
The report also showed a sharp imbalance in founder representation. Startups founded solely by men raised $442 million across 28 deals, while two women-founded companies secured a combined $200,000. Mixed-gender founding teams raised approximately $12 million across three transactions.
Five months into 2026, startups across the MENA region have raised approximately $1.5 billion.
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